Change
by BananaGirl
Summary: The Techno's have got the city in reach of their grasp, but for one girl, things just don't add up. Ashley wants answers
1. Whoops

Disclaimer: I don't own anything/one mentioned in this fic 'cept myself and Alex (Woohoo, aren't I so lucky?) Please R/R! Infact, scrap that! Screw the reading, just REVIEW!  
  
  
  
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, tripping over a clod of mud protruding from the ground. Checking over my shoulder, I made sure no one had heard me. You had to be careful at times like these, times of the Techno's. It'd been awhile since they'd first visited the city. I use 'visited' instead of 'invaded' because, whereas most people's views were black or white, I was still undecided. I wasn't sure whether the Techno's were good news or bad, which is why I was doing this, to find out. It was well known that they had unbelievable technology and knowledge. Before the virus, computers ruled my life, and I guess I was what you'd call an expert. The Techno's intrigued me, which was another reason why I was doing this.  
  
This. People around the city spoke of what the Techno's did with the 'lost ones'. I myself had not lost anyone close to me due to the Techno's. Hell, there was no one close to me to lose. People thought the rumours were nothing but, and I felt the same way up until now. I…I don't know, I guess you could call it a 'gut-feeling' but nothing seemed to fit. I understood that the leader, RAM, as he was called, was a genius, but the gadgets that the Techno's wore were fascinating. Even if RAM did come up with the design plans and circuits, how did he manufacture and create them? This is why I was doing it, for proof and answers. I just hoped that I wouldn't get caught.  
  
Adjusting my make-shift cam I'd created myself out of various pieces of junk, I tightened it around my waist, not wanting it slipping off. I opened the vent to the roof using a small pocket-knife. I figured the Techno's wouldn't expect someone coming in from above, and I'd monitored the place for a week for any signs of camera's and other security, nothing. I entered the tight-fitting hole and crawled through. Not the best place to be if you're claustrophobic, and unfortunately, I was. My breathing became more shallow and I was sweating heavily. I passed various other vents in which the rooms seemed to be empty. I slowed my pace as I heard a large booming voice from the vent ahead of me. Crawling as far as I could without actually being in front of the vent, I saw a clinically white room with various computers and gadget scattered around in an orderly fashion. A small sink was below the vent I was peering through and my breath caught in my throat as I heard the oh-so-familiar voice of CityNet.  
  
"Oh shit." I muttered, then snapped my eyes to the wheelchair-bound person, to check whether he'd hear me. Fortunately, he hadn't. I mentally scolded myself for being so stupid. I'd come through the wrong vent! I was supposed to be on the other side of the building. I was wondering how to escape my predicament when I saw the vent dropped vertically just up ahead of me. I could turn around, make my way out and try again some other time. I cautiously crawled past the vent and towards the drop. Dangling my legs over, I uncomfortably twisted my body so that I faced the other way. Attempting to haul myself back up, I felt the rope around my waist loosen and quickly shot out my hand to grab it. Too late. I cringed as it shot down the vent, banging the sides as it went, causing a large booming sound to echo through the building.  
  
"WHAT was THAT?" I heard RAM pronounce the first and last words carefully as he shouted his statement to the whole tribe. "Jay!" He called after.  
  
Hearing RAM's loud voice put me back in action. I quickly shuttled down the vent-way, banging my head as I went. I didn't care, I just wanted out of that vent and now. The exit was so close I could smell the fresh air, which propelled me on even furthur. Exiting the vent, I was in two minds of whether the put the vent-mesh back on. I grabbed the mesh and roughly threw it on, screwing the screws with haste. I stood up quickly and ran down the ladder in which I came up on, my heavy boots thudding on the pavement. I ran round the corner, careful not to trip over the mud clod I had earlier, and instead tripped over my own stupidly long and baggy jeans. Nevertheless I picked myself up and climbed the mesh fence. Once I was on the other side let out a big, heavy sigh and began walking, trying to get back to my normal breathing. A sudden noise erupted from my left and I spun round to face whatever it was. I peered up an empty street and was about to turn around when I felt heavy, strong hands grab my shoulders roughly. Noticing the familiar laser gadget on the wrist of my attacker, I went rigid.  
  
"Oh fuck." I breathed. 


	2. Not again...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything/one mentioned in this fic 'cept myself and Ashley (Woohoo, aren't I so lucky?) Please R/R! Infact, scrap that! Screw the reading, just REVIEW!  
  
A/N: In the first chapter the disclaimer reads 'I don't own anything/one mentioned in this fic 'cept myself and Alex Woohoo…' The character of my story is, in fact, Ashley not Alex. Sorry for the misunderstanding, I must've been somewhere else. Anywho, here's the second chapter of *dun dun dun* Change.  
  
  
  
"Um…hey, can I help you?" I asked, once I'd found my voice, the mask- bearing Techno who had a grip of my shoulder. I had decided to play the ignorant. "Well, there's no need to be rude about it! Here I was, minding my own business, when you come and grab my shoulder for no reason!" I exclaimed haughtily, trying to loosen the grasp on my shoulder but only succeeding in making it painfully worse.  
  
"I suggest…" The mysterious Techno didn't get to finish as a tall (compared to my standard, heck, everyone is tall compared to my standard) Techno with bleached hair and a camouflage-style jacket walked over to us.  
  
"Is this the intruder?" He asked the Techno who had still not lessened his grip on my shoulder, not even noting my existence.  
  
"Hello. Intruder with a name here. I prefer Ashley, thanks." I replied in my oh-so-smart-ass-way. Only when I saw the amused look cross the bleached Techno's face did I realise I'd made two mistakes. I'd just admitted I was in fact the intruder they were looking for and I'd given away my identity. "Shit." I muttered to myself, only widening the bleached Techno's grin.  
  
"I'm Jay, and thanks for telling me that important information." He replied, in the same smart-ass tone I'd used earlier. Never before did I realise just how damn annoying it was and I'd never use it again.  
  
"Huh? Oh yes. We have her captured. Oh really?" Jay spoke into his headpiece before looking me up and down. "She doesn't look…oh, no of course not. Yes, right away."  
  
"Who was that? Ya army buddy?" I asked, breaking the vow of never using the smart-ass tone again.  
  
"If you must know, it was RAM." He replied, throwing off my composure.  
  
"What'd he want? Can I go yet?" I asked, trying to regain my composure.  
  
"He wanted you. In fact, you are very valuable I am told." That familiar grin crept across his features again. Damn, he was so annoying!  
  
"Valuable? What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my immaturity and arrogance showing through.  
  
"Something to do with computer files and before the virus, your skills." He explained, which surprised me as I imagined he would ignore the question.  
  
"Oh." I commented, my smart-ass mouth not knowing what to do for once.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"Wow, this place sure does look different when I'm not looking from above or through a vent." I said, breaking the silence that we'd walked to Ebony's Palace in.  
  
"I'm sure it does." Jay replied crisply, but I could see the beginnings of a smile etched at the corners of his mouth.  
  
"So, where to from now? To the big, bad RAM? And, by the way, whats with the name? He must be obsessed with computers otherwise…hey! Watch the clothes!" I yelled to the Techno behind me, who was still holding my shoulder, but this time a little more harshly as I mentioned RAM's name.  
  
"I suggest you be less callous and realise the situation here. You're…what (?)…15, 16 and…" Jay began.  
  
"17 actually." I interrupted rudely.  
  
"17? Right, well, your 17 and RAM knows things about you that you wouldn't be able to imagine. He knows things, and unless you start acting your age and lose the ignorance and attitude he's going to eat you alive. No." Jay raised his hand before I got chance to interrupt again. "I am not 'lecturing' you. I am just saying, for your sake." He added.  
  
"I don't need help. I can handle this." I reassured myself, looking away from Jay's disapproving looks. I averted my eyes back to my surroundings. We were walking down a white corridor, a clinically white corridor. The name-less guard, who still gripped my shoulder, shoved me towards a dark wooden door. I looked at Jay and he opened the door, leaving the guard standing outside.  
  
The room, like the corridor, was clinically white. RAM was in a corner, pulling on some rubber gloves. He waved his hand and two girls who looked extremely similar collected a cup and exited the room through a different door in which we entered.  
  
"Ah, and this is Ashley I presume?" RAM directed his wheelchair towards me. I simply nodded. "I've read a lot about you. A lot about computers, which interests me greatly."  
  
"Computers?" I asked, playing the dumb card once more, remembering to not screw it up.  
  
"Yes. Is my information incorrect?" He asked, a huge grin spreading over his face.  
  
"Uh huh. Sorry but I don't know anything about computers. I never really did understand technology." I shot back, mustering a smile that I hoped look genuine.  
  
"Oh, my sincere apologies. I must've been mistaken. Follow me, I will show you the way out. I am deeply sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused." RAM seemed to have fallen for my trick hook, line and sinker.  
  
"Eh…that's alright…just glad we cleared that up." I stammered, not believing the 'being ignorant' plan had worked, and on RAM aswell!  
  
"Well, follow me." RAM moved his chair through to another room, and there, on a table in the middle, was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.  
  
"Oh…my…God! It's a…a…ICG 2001, with…yep…with Pentium Processor, 98MB RAM drive, CD and DVD Rom 10 speed and…wow…is that…yes it is! ACGP Set, 64MB!" I squealed with delight, running over to the machine and touching the monitor. I looked at RAM, wondering how the hell he managed to get a machine like this, and saw that slimy grin plastered all over his face. "Shit, I did it again." I said, mentally kicking myself in the shin.  
  
"Don't know much about computers, hmm?" RAM taunted. 


End file.
